Isabelle M. Germano

After completing her secondary education at Liceo Classico Massimo d’Azeglio in Turin, with a focus on Latin and Ancient Greek literature, Germano attended the University of Turin Medical School, where she graduated as valedictorian with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.^[3] Her graduate thesis was in neuropathology, and she also completed a neurology residency during her medical training. She completed her neurosurgery residency training at the University of California, San Francisco and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, finishing in 1993.^[4] During her residency, she received additional training in epilepsy surgery at the University Hospital of Zürich in Switzerland. She further completed specialized fellowship training in epilepsy surgery, stereotactic treatments, and movement disorders under André Olivier at the Montreal Neurological Institute.^[3] Germano also earned a Master of Business Administration from the New York University Stern School of Business,^[5] where she later served as an adjunct professor of economics in the MBA program. In this role, she developed and taught a graduate-level economics course (ECON-GB.2114).

Germano established the first National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded neurosurgery laboratory dedicated to brain tumor research at Mount Sinai.^[6] The laboratory has been supported by grants from the NIH and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), including R01 awards for which she served as principal investigator.^[7] Her research has focused on gene therapy,^[8] stem cell biology,^[9] and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC),^[10] with the goal of translating these approaches into therapeutic strategies for brain tumors. Germano led the first clinical trial in New York State investigating gene therapy for recurrent glioblastoma,^[11] and pioneered computer-assisted neurosurgery^[12][13] and integrated stereotactic radiosurgery^[14] techniques that combine advanced imaging with precision treatment. Her work has also incorporated molecular diagnostics, advanced imaging, and intraoperative guidance into neurosurgical treatment guidelines, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI).^{[15][16] [17][18][19][20]}

Germano has contributed to neurosurgical education through both academic scholarship and practical training. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications^[21], numerous book chapters, and five books ^{[22][23][24][25]} including Neurosurgery and Global Health^[26] described as the first book dedicated to the field. She has directed courses in image-guided brain and spine surgery for neurosurgeons nationally and internationally, and has organized and taught numerous other educational programs focused on neurosurgical technology and training, including initiatives aimed at expanding access to advanced techniques in low- and middle-income countries.^{[27][28][29][30][31][32]}

Germano was elected chair of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Tumors,^[33] and was appointed the inaugural chair of the AANS Global Committee.^[34] She established the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Tumors Mark Rosenblum Distinguished Service Award,^[35] and has served as president of the AANS/CNS Women in Neurosurgery, ^[36] as well as chair of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Education and Training Committee for two terms.^[37] She is an elected member of the Academy of Neurological Surgeons and the Society of Neurological Surgeons ^[38] and has served in over 50 leadership roles within scientific organizations.

Germano is the recipient of over 50 awards, including Castle Connolly Best Doctors of New York Hall of Fame.^[39]

Germano has two daughters who are physicians: Lucia, in psychiatry residency,^[40] and Maria, in neurosurgery residency^[41], making the first known mother-neurosurgery trainee pair in the United States. With her daughters, she published the book, I Want to be a Neurosurgeon, translated in over 12 languages ^[42], inspiring girls to follow their dreams.